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Please support Vigil to be held outside Asylum and Immigration Tribunal Office, Moseley Street, Manchester
Bishop of Manchester praises couple's "dignity and integrity while living under constant threat of deportation".
Supporters of playwright Lydia Besong and her husband Bernard Batey are holding a vigil outside the Asylum and Immigration Tribunal offices in Moseley Street, Manchester, next Thursday, January 13th, at 10 am.
Their fresh claim for asylum was turned down before Christmas and the appeal will be heard next week.
Lydia and Bernard sought asylum in the UK in 2006. Their asylum claim is based on their activities with the Southern Cameroon National Council, a peaceful political organisation which campaigns for the rights of the English-speaking minority of Southern Cameroon. Before their arrival in the UK, both Lydia and Bernard suffered beatings and
imprisonment as a result of their involvement with the SCNC and Lydia was raped by a uniformed guard.
Lydia was detained in Yarl's Wood IRC over Christmas last year and came within 72 hours of deportation. A campaign to gain her release saw an overwhelming response from people and communities across Greater Manchester and beyond, and a High Court judge granted an injunction to prevent the couple's deportation from the UK until new evidence had been considered.
The chairman of the SCNC has since affirmed that Lydia and Bernard were active human rights practioners in Cameroon and their human rights work in the UK stands as a testimony to that. Lydia and Bernard have worked with refugees in similar situations to their own at RAPAR (Refugee and
Asylum Seekers Participatory Action Research), WAST (Women Asylum-Seekers Together) and the Rochdale project Shamwari.
In spite of the Bajul ruling of the African Commission on Human Rights calling on the Biya regime of Cameroon to enter into dialogue with the SCNC, the state has cracked down on the organisation. Meetings have been broken up and people carrying copies of the Banjul ruling have been
arrested.
Lydia is a talented writer and her play "How I Became an Asylum Seeker" was written to raise awareness of what happens to women seeking asylum and the difficulties and problems they encounter. It was performed by members of WAST and has been staged across the UK.
In November, it was performed in London at an event organised by Women for Refugee Women. After the play, Lydia took part in a discussion about the issues it raised with actor Juliet Stevenson, Labour MP Bridget Phillipson and journalist Natasha Walter.
Since coming to the UK, Lydia and Bernard have attended St Ann's Church, Belfield, and the priest and parishioners have been strong supporters of their campaign.
In October 2010, they met the Bishop of Manchester when he visited the parish. Bishop Nigel watched a DVD of Lydia's play, he heard the couple's story and the dangers they would face if they returned to Cameroon.
The Bishop's spokesman, the Revd Canon Dr Chris Bracegirdle, said: "Although the Bishop has only met this couple on one occasion, he was impressed by their dignity and integrity whilst living under constant threat of deportation."
Supporters of Lydia and Bernard are urging as many people as possible to attend the vigil outside the tribunal office next Thursday from 9.45 am.
For more information, please contact:
RAPAR's Press Officer Kath on 0161-225-2260 or mobile 07812471047 or at the RAPAR office 0161 834 8221
Or email:
[email protected]